Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Labs BlitzTrance Lipstick New Shades for Summer

June 10, 2019

This summer Pat McGrath Labs brings us nine new shades of BlitzTrance Lipstick ($38 each for 3.9 g/0.13 oz, made in USA). These new summer colors have a different finish and formula compared to her original holiday BlitzTrance Lipsticks last year. The original ones had an intense sparkle finish with bold colors. This month’s release has the same name “BlitzTrance” but the finish is more of a smooth refined satiny shimmer creme. These new summer BlitzTrance colors are everyday kinds of colors and every single one is phenomenal. You can find them now at PatMcGrath.com.

The summer BlitzTrance has medium to full coverage. They have a soft creme feel and the shimmer has an almost velvety dry down look to them. There’s a shimmer and sheen to them but they’re not really glossy in finish like I expected. They adhere well to the lips, there’s no detectable scent, application is smooth without any tugging. With a few of the shades I could feel a tiny bit of texture from the shimmer applying to the lips, but once on the lips they feel 100% smooth. Lasting power is excellent – there is no sliding around and I did not need a lip liner to help the color stay in place.

There are nine colors in this launch. The range has 5 very similar neutral nude-pinks, 1 nineties brown-rose, 1 plum, 1 red and 1 coral rose. At first glance the neutrals look remarkably similar. Even on the arm they look close. After lip-swatching them though I can see the differences are in undertone which I can really appreciate because finding the perfect neutral nude pink can vary so much depending on skin and lip tone. For example a few of my red hair friends look amazing in MAC Twig and Spirit lipsticks. Both look like great neutrals on my hand but on my complexion make me look like I’m 100% dead. Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk is one of my favorite neutral rose lipsticks but a number of you find it too cool/dusty looking on your lips and complexion. Finding a perfect “neutral” truly depends on so many things!

Close ups, descriptions and swatches:

Skin Flixx, Naked Kiss, Lady Stardust
Skinsane, Full Fantasy, Love Train
Flesh3, Blood Rush and Emmanuelle

Descriptions as I see them, quick note that the shimmer is more visible in the lip swatches:

Skin Flixx is a neutral warm rose pink neutral with a satiny shimmer
Naked Kiss is the lightest one but not pale, this is a light peach pink with gold pearl
Lady Stardust is a medium neutral-cool rose pink nude pearl, pulls more blue toned compared to the others
Skinsane is a neutral medium pink-beige with a slight hint of pink (looks almost identical to Naked Kiss on me, Skinsane is just a little deeper)
Full Fantasy is a warmer neutral nude peach pink shimmer
Love Train is a perfect plum shimmer
Flesh3 is a brown rose shimmer, almost like a brick shimmer
Blood Rush is a bold classic red with shimmer
Emmanuelle is a pretty coral rose with a metallic sheen

All swatched on bare lips, for skin tone reference I’m wearing Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation in Buff (equivalent of Tom Ford Soleil Glow Natural and MAC Studio Fix in NC35):

Details shots below, starting with Skin Flixx:

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Naked Kiss

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Lady Stardust

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Skinsane

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Full Fantasy

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Love Train

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Flesh 3

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Blood Rush

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Emmanuelle

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We are in the midst of packing for another move so I only pulled a couple to compare. Overall the BlitzTrance neutrals run lighter and almost brighter compared to her LuxeTrance and MatteTrance neutrals. I have one in LuxeTrance Realness swatched below. I also have Tom Ford Lip Color in Autoerotique and Spanish Pink side by side. I included both of the neutral-ish ones from the original BlitzTrance launch as well:

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Two full-face looks with Emmanuelle (left) and Blood Rush (right), also wearing:

Foundation is Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion in Buff
Powder is MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden
Brows are Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel
Eyeshadow is Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Lueurs Ambrees
Eyeliner is Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Brun Agape
Top from Free People
Cheeks/lips:
- Left is Pat McGrath BlitzTrance in Emmanuelle and Charlotte Tilbury Lightgasm Palette
- Right is Pat McGrath BlitzTrance in Blood Rush with CoverFX Monochromatic Blush Duo in Warm Honey

Overall the formula is excellent across the board. Colors wear well and apply perfectly. I can get full coverage with one swipe and even after doing 9 lip swatches in a row my lips have not peeled or dried out. They’re not hydrating but at the same time they don’t dry out my lips which is a huge plus. If there is one thing I think is a little confusing, it’s the name. I think the new summer formula is different enough from the holiday launch to justify a different product name, but BlitzTrance still suits it. The new summer formula is a lot more wearable compared to the holiday colors. Summer ones have a beautiful reflective quality that shines as the light hits your lips from different angles. Even though the neutrals look remarkably close I can appreciate that they launched variations with different undertones to suit different skin and lip colors.

I think they’re all really perfect but my favorites are Skinsane, Love Train and Emmanuelle.

You can find the new Summer BlitzTrance Lipsticks out now online at Pat McGrath Labs. As usual you can shop these in bundles and lip kits on her website which give a nice price break.

Have you tried these yet? Are any on your radar?

BlitzTrance provided courtesy of Pat McGrath Labs for review.

12 Comments

Fashion What's In My Bag

What’s in My Bag / Tory Burch Perry Bombe Mini

June 5, 2019

My newest bag addition is the cutest crossbody I think I’ve ever seen from Tory Burch called the Perry Bombe Mini Bag. Last month I received an email alert about the new launch saying it was an in-store exclusive for a few weeks. This happened to be right around my birthday and Andrew thought it would be the perfect gift for me. This is probably one of my smallest bags but it’s so perfect! It has two zippered compartments and a pocket on the bag which is large enough to hold my iPhone X. The length and size is perfect for my 5’3″ frame and I love it to bits!

It’s now available online at Tory Burch and also in other stores like Nordstrom and Shopbop. The Perry Bombe Mini Bag runs at $248 for the leather version. It measures approximately 6.25 inches wide by 4 inches tall and 2.75 inches deep. There is a removable strap that has a 22 inch drop. There are five colors available in Black, Bright Indigo, Daylily, New Cream and Pomander. Some have different colored straps than the body. They also have a few more color/materials in this style. There’s a super cute Perry PVC Mini option and a Canvas Fil Coupe Mini with letters. I opted for the one I felt would be most versatile.

Here’s a closer look at the details and also what I can fit inside.

There are two zippered compartments which run about the same size. On the back there is a flat opening with a magnetic closure. I can fit sunglasses in one side without the sunglasses case plus some lip glosses. Alternatively I can fit in a powder compact with a few small makeup items in one side. One of the compartments has an interior flap on the side that lies flat.

I have a small card case from Gucci (also shown open here in this post) that fits inside perfectly with extra room for a lipstick or perfume. I think it would be more ideal to have a flat card case instead for this style of bag.

How it wears on me below as a crossbody, I’m 5’3″. Wearing ribbed tank from Reformation and Parker cutoff shorts by AGolde (color is Swapmeet). Sunglasses are Celine. The strap is adjustable (and removable) to make it longer or shorter. I left it as it came which is hooked in the middle buckle opening.

What I can fit inside:

Gucci Card Case
iPhone (case is from The Daily Edited, but I do not recommend this style, print is already starting to rub off and alignment of print is off)
Two Hourglass Unreal Lipglosses
Celine Round Sunglasses
Bobbi Brown Crused Lip Color
Byredo Mini Perfume
If I don’t have the sunglasses in the bag then I can fit in a powder compact or mini sunscreen

For quick size reference/scale here is the Perry Mini Bombe next to my other favorites the Chloe Mini Marcie (reviewed here) and the Tory Burch Crossbody (on me here).

There are so many good options from Tory Burch right now, especially if you love minis! I also really loved the look of their Gemini Link Canvas Camera Bag (lower price point with fun prints) and Kira Chevron Small Camera Bag (a more dressy option). I’ve added so many things to my wishlist!

I’ve been using this mini bag for almost a month now. I’m really pleased with the quality, size and shape. The pebbled leather seems sturdy and even though it’s soft it has a rim around the edges to make it seem like it will retain it’s shape well. Even though it’s tiny it works for me when I just need the basic essentials: wallet, phone, keys, lipgloss and sunglasses. I had my eye on the Mansur Gavriel Double Zip Bag for a long time but wanted to see it in person first. The colors that appealed to me the most are in the lamb but it seemed too soft for my preferences. I still haven’t seen it in person yet so can’t really say how soft it is (if you’ve seen it maybe you can chime in). The Tory Burch Mini Perry seems similar but more sturdy with a different finish.

Overall love. I’ve also been eyeing the cream and yellow but for now I’m really happy with the black leather as a versatile option. If you like the idea of a small bag but think this will be too small for your needs I’ve linked a few alternatives at similar price points (ie under $500). They have the McGraw Leather Camera Bag which is a little bigger. They also just launched the Perry Triple Compartment in a small version (really want this!) and a Mini Miller Bucket. I feel like Cuyana also has some beautiful classic options as well, I’m still waiting for our next trip to LA or NY to see the pieces in person.

Do you have or love mini bags? What are your favorites?

17 Comments

Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel New Eye Collection Review + Swatches

June 3, 2019

Chanel recently launched The New Eye Collection with four color themes for eyeshadows, liners and tinted mascaras. The texture and pigment of the four Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadows are really quite phenomenal. For those who feel like they want a non-neutral eye color but don’t want something with high shimmer or super warm tones, this collection offers some nice alternatives. I also just saw they released a new Eyelash Curler so I picked that up to round out the collection review.

I have all four quads, five eyeliners, four mascaras plus the curler reviewed. There may be some additional liners in the collection (new and repromotes) as well. In today’s post:

Les 4 Ombres ($62 each for 2 g/0.07 oz) in Blurry Mauve, Blurry Green, Blurry Grey and Blurry Blue
Le Volume Revolution de Chanel ($35 each for 6 g/0.21 oz) in Deep Eros, Jungle Green, Volcan and Intense Teal
Stylo Yeux Waterproof ($33 each for 0.30 g/0.01 oz) in Brun Agape, Jungle Green, Black Wood, Noir Engimatique and Intense Teal
Le Recourbe Cils de Chanel Eyelash Curler ($30, made in Japan), comes with 2 refill pads

Some quick notes on the formulas before I go into the color themes. Formulas across the board are consistent in pigment, color payoff, lasting power and blendability. The Les 4 Ombres seem to be a significant improvement over previous years’ quads. The mattes are almost creamy to the touch, they’re super soft and easy to blend for a soft smokey look. The shimmers also have a very soft feel to them and adhere well to the skin. Lasting power is very good with better pigment compared to older quads. The Stylo Yeux Wateproof Eyeliners are all smooth in texture (these are twist up liners with a removeable sharpener at the base). In the past this formula has been hit or miss, some have had tugging issues for me. This launch every color is smooth, easy to blend and layer in a feathering motion and there was no tugging. The Le Volume Revolution de Chanel Mascaras offer nice volume without any clumping or smudging. The color is subtle on me once it dries down. Color darkens once it dries on my black lashes, but it is a nice change from the traditional black or brown.

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Blurry Mauve

I’m starting with my favorite color theme of the four with the Blurry Mauve theme. This color theme reminds me a little of the Rouge Noir liners they’ve launched in the past but the red is more muted and color theme has a blurred greyed kind of mix for a more neutral tone. The overall look is a beautiful smokey mauve plum which I think is the easiest for me to wear:

Les 4 Ombres in Blurry Mauve has a satiny matte mauve plum, a shimmering taupe plum, a matte deep wine and a soft mauve matte
Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Brun Agape is the perfect shimmery plum-red shimmer liner
Le Volume Revolution in Deep Eros is a deep wine colored mascara
Note the website lists 928 Eros as another liner for the color theme, I have not seen it or tried it yet though.

Below wearing Blurry Mauve (all 4 shades), Brun Agape and Deep Eros, also wearing:

Chanel Les Beiges Tint in Medium Plus
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder in Medium
Chanel Powder Blush in Golden Sun
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in Modern* (swatches here)
Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in 119* (swatches here)
Chanel Duo Bronzer Et Lumiere in Clair* (both shades to blend/highlight the eye brow area, swatches here)
Tee by Reformation
Nail Polish is OPI Tiramisu for Two

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Blurry Green

My second favorite is the Blurry Green collection which is huge for me as I’m not a green fan. This palette has two olive/green tones with a mix of golden sandy brown shimmers to neutralize the color. I think I can wear this color palette year round but it seems like it’s going to be the perfect fall palette. Lasting power was excellent – it stayed put all day over the weekend from morning to evening, lasted through the heat!

Les 4 Ombres in Blurry Green has a metallic golden sand, a shimmery olive, a shimmery sage green and a shimmery deeper soft brown, this is the most shimmery of the four but isn’t overly frosted. Colors layer beautifully together for a soft smokey olive eye.
Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Jungle Green is the prettiest forest green shimmer eyeliner I’ve seen in a long time. It has a really pretty deep finish on the eyes (swatches better on the eye than my arm).
Le Volume Revolution de Chanel in in Jungle Green is a dark forest green mascara. It almost has a metallic sheen to it but once it dries down looks like a deep blackened green.

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Blurry Grey

The Blurry Grey theme has an interesting twist on the traditional black/white/grey smokey eye palette. The colors pull warmer on the skin compared to what you see in the palette. Overall look on my olive/medium/golden skin is still neutral cool which makes it easier to wear than most smokey eye palettes. Colors are soft and blurred for a nice date-night eye:

Les 4 Ombres in Blurry Grey has a soft blue-grey matte, a soft blurred deep charcoal, a neutral warm almost plum smokey, a shimmery soft silvery
Stylo Yeux Wateproof in in Noir Engimatique is a shimmery cool black and Black Wood is a more neutral soft washed black liner
Le Volume Revolution de Chanel in Volcan is described as a grey, but it’s pretty much a soft black on the lashes

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Blurry Blue

Last is the Blurry Blue themed collection which I think has a more wearable color palette for blues compared to the more trendy blue and teal colors out there. I cannot pull off teals or blue shades on my eyes, at best I can wear navy. Still the quality is excellent and I think the teal mascara is fun (still subtle but fun). This gives a really pretty blurred out grey-blue eye look, I just didn’t like the blue tones on my skin from the shadow, the liner and mascara are really fun though!

Les 4 Ombres in Blurry Blue has some blue grey tones with a matte grey, a cool gunmetal grey satin, a deep teal and a soft dove grey matte, colors are smooth and easy to blend.
Stylo Yeux in Intense Teal is a bold teal shimmer, once on the eyes it looks deeper/darker and not as bright.
Le Volume Revolution de Chanel in Intense Teal is a deep teal with a subtle effect on the lashes.

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Lash Curler

Last but not least is the new Chanel Lash Curler. They discontinued the black lacquered one many years ago. As soon as I found out it was being pulled I stocked up and have been relying on my backups. This new one is silver and made in Japan. It comes with two extra refill pads. A number of you asked how this compares to Shiseido and Shu Uemura. It’s been a long time since I’ve used either so I can’t compare, these days my top go-to’s have been the older Chanel curler, MAC’s Eyelash Curler and Charlotte Tilbury’s. This new one from Chanel performed well, it looks almost identical in shape and size to the older version, just silver. The curler does seem to be slightly more flattened. Overall performance is excellent and I’m really happy with it.

That wraps up the review + swatches of the New Eye Collection. I think it has excellent formulas for those who want an alternative to the black/silver/grey smokey eye. My favorite is Blurry Mauve, for fall I think I’ll be reaching for Blurry Green more. Quality and pigment is really nice and easy to wear. If you want something simple and easy to wear (versus the palettes that have 10+ colors) these quads are perfect.

You can find the Chanel New Eye Collection at Chanel.com now. Their website and boutique had the early exclusive for the launch, but they will also available at all Chanel counters and retailers.

Have you checked out these launches yet? If yes what did you think?

Chanel Eye Collection provided courtesy of Chanel Beauty for review. Eyelash curler purchased by me.

22 Comments

Beauty Favorites Roundup

May Hits and Misses

May 31, 2019

May flew by so quickly! I feel like I blinked and the weeks literally passed by in minutes. I’m rounding up this month’s hits and misses in beauty. I have a little bit of everything from skincare, hair care, complexion products and other makeup items.

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Chanel Favorites

I’ve loved a lot of new launches from Chanel this month. They’ve been on a roll with new releases in makeup, skincare and fragrance. My favorites:

CC Cream with SPF 50 * is my favorite CC cream with medium coverage, I wear either shade 30 or 40 (application and review here)
Le Vernis in Afterglow, Open Air and Purple Ray* from cruise are the prettiest ones I think I’ve seen in a while from Chanel, I’m really loving the purples! (swatches here)
Rouge Coco Flash (my picks here, cruise colors swatched here) are among my most-worn for an effortless swipe and go kind of lip color
Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint in Medium (review here) is all kinds of wonderful for a natural glow
Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream* is probably my favorite moisturizer of the month, it has a lightweight texture and adds hydration and leaves the skin feeling softly refreshed and glowing, it works well with their foundations and after using this regularly skin feels more radiant and plump
L’Eau Micellar Water* is a new launch from Chanel, it’s a cleansing water that has a soft refreshing feel to it, it’s alcohol-free and gentle, it is scented similar to their Hydra Beauty line but isn’t irritating or overpowering, I use this as a first step for cleansing

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Hair Care Hits and Misses

I’m on my third round of highlights and for some reason this time my hair has been so high maintenance. I feel the strong sun, salty ocean water, hard water plus beach time has been giving my hair so much grief. I’ve tried a number of shampoos and conditioners for color treated hair, most have been mediocre at best for color maintenance. I finally found something I love:

Hits include:
- Kerastase Blond Absolu line has been overall one of the best for me to maintain highlights for me. I’ve tried three things from the line so far including the Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo (I use this 1x per week and leave on for a few minutes), I use the Hydrating Illuminating Shampoo almost daily to cleanse and I’ve been loving the Strengthening Ciccaflash Conditioner. All three lather well and rinse even in Florida water.
- Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream* has been a life saver for dry hair, I can’t rave about this enough! It hydrates, conditions and reduces frizz.
- Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Heat Protectant Creme is my favorite blow-dry heat protector, it also works if I apply after to smooth out flyaways without weighing down my hair.
- P.S. I’m still loving Olaplex (review here) – it’s great but for me it’s more for strengthening versus for color-maintenance.
Misses
- Kerastase Reflection Sulfate Free Shampoo and Reflection Conditioner were recommended to me by a friend, she swore by it! I kept using both until they were finished, but these were among the worst for me. I suspect it just does not work with Florida water. They would not lather well or rinse easily and they did nothing to maintain or protect color.
- Oribe also came highly recommended. I really love their styling products so I am so sad to report that their Bright Blonde Shampoo and Shampoo for Beautiful Color did not work for me. I also used their corresponding conditioners when testing. The blonde one left my hair on the stringy side and the beautiful color option did not rinse well. I feel like their Gold Lust formula is far superior and I still love the Cleansing Cream. The color shampoos + conditioners (and mask) were an expensive miss for my hair.

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Most-Worn Nail Polishes
(also the ones asked about the most!)

I rotate nail polishes quite frequently but these are my most-worn polishes. Anytime I have my hand showing on Instagram, stories, blog posts I get tons of questions about what I’m wearing. I try to list and label them as much as possible, these are the ones that get the most questions:

OPI Machu Peachu is my favorite peachy nude cream
OPI Samoan Sand is sheer and I usually apply 3 coats, it’s a sheer beige
Chanel Le Vernis in Jaspe* is the best coral cream, I’ve loved this on the toes too! (swatches also here)
OPI Tiramisu for Two is a neutral pale nude pink
Essie Bare with Me is a soft peachy pink cream
Essie Topless and Barefoot is another great nude pink beige

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Complexion / Glow / Bronzers

I feel like right now everything is still focused on getting that healthy glow. This month was filled with so many hits! I will have a full bronzer/glow post coming up soon, for now the best ones I tried this month:

Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Palette in Lovegasm has the ultimate glow for medium to tan complexions (full review + swatches here)
Natasha Denona Tan Bronze and Glow Palette is probably going to be my holy grail bronze and glow palette of the season (review here)
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Bronzer in Shady Biz is the best matte bronze for my skin tone right now, I also tried the Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Afternoon Snack/Mo’ Hunny and am so impressed by how smooth and beautiful the shimmer is (review soon)
L’Oreal True Match Lumi Bronze It is the best budget-bronzer I’ve tried (on the face here)
Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter is one of the creamiest powder highlighters I’ve tried, if you want a beautiful budget option this formula is excellent!
Also wanted to mention that a new favorite base combo is the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Primer + Soft Matte Foundation, the trick to getting this look smooth is using the primer with the foundation, my match is 235, it stays on all day, doesn’t oxidize too much (warms up just a little after it dries) and looks flawless!

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Eyes and Lips

This month’s favorites for lips and eyes include:

Tom Ford Acqua Metal Shadow in Violet Argente (swatches here)
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Rose Gold (swatches here)
Pat McGrath LUST Gloss in Faux Real* (swatches here)
NARS Oil-Infused Lip Tint in Orgasm (review here)
Hourglass Unreal Lip Gloss in Truth (swatches of all my picks here)

The biggest miss for me was:

Dior Addict Stellar Shine in D-Galaxy – hauled this during the Sephora sale and it swatched so pretty on my hand, on my lips it’s a very slippery oily feeling glittery mess, perhaps the other colors are better, this one did not work for me!

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Skincare Hits and Misses

I’ve had so many issues with sunscreens this year on the face and body. I am testing one more formula and then I’m done and will most likely stick with my go-to’s. I can’t deal with the recovery time for allergic reactions. Right now my arms and legs are covered with bumps from my last test. It’s been a painful week for me. I just discovered that some sunscreens will cause a reaction when exposed to sunlight. I’ve also had ones that I’ve had an allergy to just from testing indoors. Full sunscreen post as soon as I’m done testing this one last formula (for those curious I’m testing out a couple from EltaMD).

The biggest misses:

Kopari Sundaze Mineral Sunscreen with SPF 30 – some people say that mineral is better than chemical for those with sensitive skin. I’ve tried both types and for me there’s really no guarantee because there are other ingredients to take into account. I’m not entirely sure what caused a reaction in this one, but it left a white cast on my face and within a couple hours tiny red bumps started to appear. Even after washing off it left my skin bumpy everywhere and it took a solid week for my face to go back to normal.
Neutrogena Hydroboost Water Gel Lotion with SPF 50 worked amazingly on my face when I tested it so I thought I found a winner. The day I tested it I was indoors the entire day and had no issues. Our next beach trip I applied it on my arms and legs (rest of my face/body I had something else on to test/compare). By the time we got back home my arms and legs started to develop swelling spots. They turned into red bumps everywhere. It does contain oxybenzone which I suspect could be the culprit for my allergy when exposed to direct sun, but I’ve tried Neutrogena formulas before and never had issues. As I’m writing this post my arms and legs are still recovering.

The hits:

Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen is one of my favorites that won’t irritate my face. It also lasts long on my skin and doesn’t leave a white cast. Since it does adhere well to the face I recommend you be extra thorough with cleansing to fully remove it.
Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream* has been really nice as my skin has felt dry for months with the air conditioning I’m in constantly. It has a nice rich texture that is surprisingly not too heavy for my skin type.
Glamglow Supertone Exfoliating Acid Toner is the best clarifying toner I’ve tried to keep my skin clear, minimize pores and help control oil on the T-zone.
Farmacy Beauty Better Daze Ahead* is the first CBD cream I’ve been able to tolerate the scent of. It still has an earthy kind of scent but it’s not overpowering like other CBD infused creams. It has a lightweight feel and was one of the few creams I could use post-sunscreen allergic reaction without having my face feel like it was on fire. It really did work to help moisturize and calm down my skin.
Rodin Luxury Face Cream* is a new launch that is an oil-infused cream for dry skin. I’ve found it pleasantly soothing and hydrating. It does have scent to it but it’s not irritating and smells like licorice and flowers mixed together. It has a lot of different oils mixed in so if you’re sensitive to oils you may want to try or patch test first. I’ve had no irritation issues and will keep on using this!

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That wraps up this month’s hits and misses! Would love to hear what you loved or didn’t like in the beauty world recently. Let me know in the comments!

Press samples have a * next to them. Other items purchased by me.

28 Comments

Natasha Denona

Natasha Denona Tan Bronze and Glow Palette Review

May 29, 2019

Natasha Denona recently launched her Tan Bronze and Glow Palette ($55) and it’s summer perfection! It was an easy decision to order sight unseen. She has the best tutorials and sneak peeks on her Instagram page. I think her product reveals are super fun to watch as well. This is a four pan compact with creams and powders. The texture is excellent for the different formulas, pigment is smooth and easy to apply. It has the prettiest finish with phenomenal lasting power. For those who don’t like glitter this one is a win as it has no glitter in it. I think it will suit a wide range of skin tones.

The Tan Bronze and Glow compact is the same size and design as her Bloom and Blush Palette (which I still adore). I really like this size because it’s easy to travel with and also easy to hold. The Tan Bronze and Glow Palette has a similar clear protector over the creams shades so the powder debris doesn’t cross over into the pans.

Colors and formulas in this palette include:

Glow Cream Base is the perfect neutral champagne tan shimmer, looks ultra natural on the skin, I wish she made this this in a full size option!
Super Glow is a shimmery gel powder which has a yellow peach gold metallic sheen
Blush and Bronze Powder is a warm bronze matte with pink tones
Glow Impact Powder is a metallic pale gold

Colors will differ depending on how light or deep your skin tone is. If you’re fair to light colors will show up more bronzey/golden and if you’re deep colors will contrast more with your skin to look paler. On my medium skin this adds a beautiful bronze and glow in the best way ever.

Swatch comparisons to a few other products including the Chanel Duo Bronze Et Lumiere in Medium and Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duo in Flicker (new, review soon):

Also swatched next to the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow duos:

Makeup look wearing:

Rodin Luxury Face Cream* all over (review soon)
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation 235
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer 235
Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder*
Chanel Les Beiges Les Indispensables Eye Palette* (review + swatches here)
L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Pencil Eyeliner in Brown
L’Oreal Lash Paradise Primer + Lash Paradise Mascara
L’Oreal Rouge Signature Matte High Pigment Lightweight Lip Ink in I Empower + Charlotte Tilbury Lip Collagen in Peachy Plump on top
Nail Polish is OPI Samoan Sand
Natasha Denona Tan Bronze and Glow Palette, all four shades
Tank from Re/Done (recommend going at least 2 sizes up from your normal size, I’m wearing a Medium)

You can use any brush from your collection to apply the powders. I used the Wayne Goss Air Brush, MAC 168S Angled Contour Brush and also the Laura Mercier Fan Brush when testing this.

Overall a really pretty option for summer and even with all the other bronzer and highlighter options for me it’s a must-have. You can wear on both eyes and cheeks. It gives the perfect soft bronze and glow in one. I love layering all the shades together but you can mix and match with your other blushes or just wear a couple of the colors. Lasting power was really good and it stayed put without budging all day. I love that it has a matte shade alongside shimmers.

I bought mine at Sephora. Also available at Beautylish. Have you tried this one yet? What did you think?

13 Comments

Budget Beauty

Best Budget Beauty Picks to Prep for Summer

May 27, 2019

It feels like it’s the start of summer here! We are blessed to have warm sunshine most of the year but if you’re still in transition spring to summer mode I have a roundup of some affordable beauty picks to help you prep for summer. I’ve partnered with Walmart to share some of my budget beauty staples and a few new summer tries.

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Bronze and Glow

I’m normally on the tan side since because we get so much sun but a lot of you have asked for recommendations for a sunless option. I’ve recently discovered the L’oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Serum in Medium Natural Tan. It’s a great self-tanner to help even out my short tan lines and bronze up areas like my stomach that don’t get as much sun in the winter/early spring. One application darkened and evened out my tan in one evening. I didn’t have any transfer to my sheets or clothes and had no streaking. A little goes a long way, I waited around 10 minutes for it to dry. Do make sure you wash your hands thoroughly (they can stain). One application lasted me around 4 days, I was seriously impressed!

For a nice soft bronzer to tan up your complexion the L’Oreal True Match Lumi Bronze It in 02 Medium is a great natural option. It has a very pretty soft satiny bronze with a subtle glow. There’s also a lighter shade and a deeper option as well. It has a soft texture, blends easily and looks so natural. It had seriously impressive lasting power. I wore it to the beach and it stayed on my face all day! I think this is a great way to fake a tan on the face but still have it look natural. This is something you can also apply on the body as well.

As much as I love high-end highlighters I think there are quite a few good budget alternatives. The Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in Molten Gold has a gorgeous pretty shine in a golden glow with very slight peach tones. It’s ultra pigmented but blends out for a softer finish. This one has a creamy feel and adheres well to the skin. It doesn’t emphasize my pores or fine lines even though it’s metallic. I want to try the peach shade next! If you want a cream version the Neutrogena Glow On Face Liquid is also excellent.

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Natural Radiance

I’ve written about the L’Oreal True Match Lumi Glotions before and they remain on my favorites list. They’re a great all over luminizer you can wear under foundation, alone or on top of foundation to add the most natural looking glow. There’s enough shimmer in it to add a a glow to your complexion but aren’t frosty. I can wear it all over without it getting greasy looking. It has good lasting power and comes in four shades. I wear 902 the most. You can go one shade deeper than your natural skin tone to add a bit of natural warmth to the skin.

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Lips

Hands down the best budget shine lipsticks are the L’Oreal Color Riche Shine Lipsticks. My favorites are Luminous Coral and Sparkling Rose. If you like bold shades they have the best reds and oranges too. They’re quite pigmented even though they’re shiny. I sometimes layer/mix colors together. Luminous Coral is the best shade for summer (in my opinion).

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Nails

I think my readers are split between loving OPI or Essie for a good budget affordable color. So many of you swear by Essie and I’ve been exploring more of the opaque options. There are so many great colors to pick from! One of my go-to’s has been Topless and Barefoot for the most flattering neutral pink cream. I recently bought a few more colors and was pleased to find some pretty pinks and neutrals! Let It Glow looks so fun for the summer season it glows and has a pretty pink rose gold look. Eternal Optimist turned out to be the prettiest neutral rose pink that pulls neutral-cool (love this on the toes). I swatched a few other recent buys including Bare With Me and Lighten the Mood. I think these are go-with everything kinds of colors. Each one is applied with two coats.

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Eyes

For eyes my go-to has been the L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara in both the Waterproof and Regular formulas. For the humid months the waterproof is essential. A number of you have said you really don’t like waterproof mascara because it’s so hard to remove. I’ve also tried the regular version in Black and it’s also excellent. I pair either with the Lash Paradise Primer for added volume. For a good metallic wash of color the Infallible Metallic Paints in Rose Chrome or Brass Knuckles. Both add a natural sheen that makes the eyes glow with a sunkissed summery shimmer.

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Staples

Last but not least are two staples I just discovered are available at Walmart. The best foundation sponge is the original beautyblender and they carry it online! They also started stocking Bioderma and the Sensibio H2o is one of the best for a gentle face makeup remover. I use this as a first pass cleanser sometimes before washing my face with regular cleanser. It helps remove makeup more effectively when I double cleanse.

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That wraps up on my budget beauty favorites for the upcoming summer season! I’ve been trying out more affordable sunscreens on my test-list and have another self-tanner to try out this upcoming week. For now these are some beauty products I recommend checking out to fake a nice summer glow if you want to go sunless! As always let me know what your budget beauty favorites are! I love checking out your recommendations 🙂

Thanks to Walmart for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions my own.

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Beauty Favorites Loving Right Now What's In My Bag

Beach Beauty Favorites

May 23, 2019

We’ve been in Florida for two and a half years now and the best thing we’ve discovered are the beaches! We never really knew what truly beautiful beaches were like until our first trip to Florida three Decembers ago. As beautiful as San Diego is, West Coast beaches don’t compare at all to the ones on the East coast! Here the beaches are so clean, water is warm enough to swim in and the overall atmosphere is more relaxing and friendly. We’ve been exploring more beaches each weekend and finally went to Siesta Key off the coast of Sarasota. So many of you have recommended we visit and it’s one of the best ones we’ve been to! We also love St. Pete Beach and Anna Maria.

With each of our beach trips I try to share a little of what I pack with me on Instagram stories. Our beach days tend to be all day events, or at the very least all afternoon to late evening excursions. We go straight from the beach to run afternoon errands or dinner and even though most of everything in South Florida is very laid back and low key, I still pack beauty products and extra clothes to change into to look a little more polished.

A lot of you have been asking for a beach kit series along with an updated Florida post (ie beauty, towels, umbrellas, clothes, best beaches etc.). Today I have my beach beauty favorites. I’m working on the other ones to post for you soon! Above is The Daily Edited Clear Pouch in Pale Pink (love!). On the nails is Chanel Le Vernis in Purple Ray. Sunnies are from Celine.

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Sunscreen + Sun Protection

favorite sunscreens in the Truffle Jetset Case

I owe you an updated sunscreen post but I have had the worst time with face sunscreen this year and had several severe allergic reactions to new formulas I’ve been testing. The whole testing process is taking longer than anticipated and I’m still going to have an updated roundup with all the hits and misses. The ones I swear by are my long-time tried and true:

Sol de Janiero Bumb Bum Sol Oil with SPF 30 is something we’ve nearly used up entirely! It’s a delicious suncreen oil that has shimmer in side. The shimmer is very subtle and has no gritty feel/texture. We used this during our Miami trip and I’ve been using it here in Tampa too. It does have a very strong sweet smell so if you can’t wear strong scents opt for the Supergoop! Oil instead.
Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen with SPF 50 is my most-used body sunscreen. It helps to prevent burn the best out of all the ones I’ve tried. It’s smooth enough and lightweight to reapply easily without feeling heavy. There’s no scent and it doesn’t feel sticky.
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen with SPF 40 is a great transparent face sunscreen for me. It’s invisible and lightweight, I can wear it under makeup or alone!
Supergoop! Sunscreen Oil with SPF 50 is tied in my top two for the body. This was the first Supergoop! product I tried and it was love from the beginning. This one is also lightweight and is super smooth and easy to apply.
Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with SPF 50 is one of the best ways to reapply face sunscreen without ruining your makeup. I also love their powder but find the mist is something I reach for more often.
Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen with SPF 35 remains one of my go-to’s for the face, it doubles as a primer for me and never clogs my pores. It does adhere to the skin so make sure to double cleanse in the afternoon to wash it off properly!
Chanel CC Cream* with SPF 50 is one of the few CC creams I’ve actually liked. I did a full review here with swatches of all the colors. I hope they expand the color range!
Eric Javits Hampton Straw Sun Hat is one of the best hats I’ve bought for sun protection. From browsing these online I didn’t this was going to be worth the splurge. After seeing it in person though I bought one and feel it was 100% worth the splurge. This prevents the scalp and head from getting burned better than any other hat I’ve tried. The top is woven and also lined to block 95% of the UVA and UVB rays. They have several styles but I opted for the Hamptons one. You can also see it worn in this post here.
Neck masks and arm protectors are something both Andrew and I are looking into. We’ve researched a few online and I can share a better review once we’ve explored more options. There’s no escaping the sun here and it’s quite intense while driving so our arms get crispy. Sometimes I’ll bring a sweatshirt or extra scarf to cover my arms/legs in the car. Andrew bought a couple lightweight options that he’s been trying out the past few weeks. We noticed people who work at the beach here and in Miami are often covered head to toe with these – they wear them with their polos or shorts for extra coverage and still seem to be light enough to wear in the heat.

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Hair Accessories

The humidity, heat, salt and wind at the beach has made my hair look so crazy Andrew asked me to do something about it. I’ve made an extra effort to pack things to look a little more presentable with my hair. Hair scarves and the silk hair ties have been lifesavers. I also pack a little comb or brush as it gets progressively windy later in the day.

Yellow Bandana Madewell, Blue Skinny Scarf Something Navy, White Floral Scarf Rag and Bone, Small Comb Aerin, Long Comb Yves Durif, scrunchies from Slip

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Cheeks

For the face I typically just apply a little bit of bronzer on the cheeks before I leave the house and don’t do anything for touch ups for the rest of the day. A number of you have messaged me telling me you LOVE the Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks and I decided to reinvestigate. I’ve found that adding a little bit of cream color after the beach makes me look more alive and I’ve been reaching for them more frequently!

The Sisley Phyto-Blush Twists* have been a favorite for a cream to powder product for a couple years now. They launched two more colors sometime last year and it took me forever to try them but the two new ones are the best ones. Shade 5 Contour can double as a bronzer and Shade 6 Passion is the prettiest coral pink gold. I bought one of the Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks for a sheer glow. I had a few several years ago but gave them away in a beauty purge before during our cross-country move. I think Las Salinas is the prettiest pink with gold shimmer. Above I swatched with a heavy hand but all of these blend out for a sheerer wash of color.

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Lips

Lip products are something I always bring multiples of everywhere. The best effortless beach colors are ones that have a tint + treatment in one like the NARS Lip Oil or Dior Addict Lip Glow. Ones I’ve had in rotation lately include the ones below. I don’t pack ALL of these with me, I usually have maybe 3-4 in my bag at any given time. These are the ones I have in frequent rotation:

NARS Orgasm Oil-Infused Lip Tint (review and swatches here)
Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath (still think it’s way overpriced but really love how it makes the lips look, I just ordered the new tinted ones and will review soon)
Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss* in Aurora (swatches here)
Pat McGrath LUST Gloss* in Peach Perversion (swatches here)
Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color* in Peach and Quiet (swatches here)
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre in Hall of Fame
L’oreal Color Riche Shine in Shining Peach, best budget-beauty lip shines! (swatches here)
Chanel Rouge Coco Flash in Flash (swatches here)

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Extras

There are a few extra things I keep on hand with me for the just-in-case moments:

Drunk Elephant Beste Jelly Cleanser in the mini is essential for us, we’ll use a water bottle if there’s no sink nearby. I started to develop a severe allergic reaction one day when we were out after testing a sunscreen. It didn’t start surfacing until about an hour after I applied it and my face was suddenly on fire. Andrew had one in his workout bag in the trunk of his car and since we were at a restaurant, I used this in their bathroom to wash it all off. Since that day I’ve always kept an extra cleanser with me just in case. I got mine with the Sephora Beauty Insider Birthday gift, wish they sold the mini! I do really like face wipes but they get really spendy with the amount I’ve gone through, also a regular cleanser just works better.
Byredo Blanche Perfume is another essential, but really any travel size perfume is a must-have for me on the go. There are mosquitos and they love to bite me. They’re usually only out at dusk but depending on season sometimes they’re out more places than others. A spritz of perfume on the bite usually helps reduce swelling and itching. Otherwise my legs or arms can swell up to the size of a golf ball.
Fenty Beauty Blotting Papers were so cute and come in this nifty dispenser I had to buy them. The paper is on the thin side but they seem to do the trick to blot shine. It’s super compact and has a tiny mirror which is convenient. I normally swear by the Tatcha Blotting Papers but wanted to give the Fenty ones a try. I like the Fenty packaging better, but the Tatcha papers perform better for me.
Chanel Stylo Ombre Et Contour* makes for a quick and easy one and done eye look. Also kept with me just-in-case although definitely not essential.
Other items shown: Truffle Clarity Mini, Rayban Sunglasses, Chanel Le Vernis in Purple Ray on the nails (review here), Aerin Comb and Slip Hair Scrunchie

For those who have been asking, I hope you found this post helpful on some beach beauty favorites! You can keep it as simple as your taste suits you. I do realize some of you don’t wear any makeup to the beach, especially if you swim, but sometimes it’s nice to have a few things on hand to put on afterwards if you don’t want to go bare faced!

If you have any beach beauty favorites let me know in the comments!

I’m hosting a giveaway! I’ve been such a huge fan of clear pouches I’m giving away 3 of The Daily Edited Clear Makeup Pouches. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. Simply enter through one of the steps in the widget below and complete at least one of the steps. The more steps you complete the more entries you will receive. Giveaway is not sponsored or affiliated, it will run through Wednesday May 29th, 11:45 PM EST. Three separate readers will be selected at random through the widget to each pick one of the Daily Edited Clear Makeup Pouch (can pick color and monogram letters). Winner will be selected within 72 hours after giveaway ends and emailed directly by me.

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Press samples have a * next to them. Other items purchased by me. Giveaway not sponsored or affiliated.

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Bronze and Glow

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Eyes

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Beach Beauty Favorites

Sunscreen + Sun Protection

Hair Accessories

Cheeks

Lips

Extras

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(also the ones asked about the most!)